3. Luton Hoo Lake Research

Theme: Improving water quality and water quantity

Project description

The lakes at Luton Hoo are affected by pollution feeding into the River Lea from the urban area. Researching and monitoring this pollution now will mean that action can be taken to correct and prevent it in the future.

Luton Hoo Estate is a privately-owned country estate encompassing a vast area, including two lakes. The River Lea flows through the north and south lakes as it leaves Luton. The lakes' proximity to the urban area means that Luton Hoo is a prime location but is also subject to pollution.

The Environment Agency has already installed sensor systems on the lake. However, the data they generate is not accessible or easily interpretable for Luton Hoo. In this project, a team from the University of Bedfordshire is validating the EA's sensors and presenting the data to Luton Hoo is an easy-to-understand format. This will inform Luton Hoo directly and allow them to work with the Environment Agency to take corrective or preventative measures, reducing the problem of pollution in the lakes.

In the longer term, the team hope to design and develop a bespoke water monitoring sensor network for the lakes that will continuously monitor their condition and issue early warning signals if the water quality is under threat.

There are five planned stages to this project:

• Stage 1: Understanding the requirements
• Stage 2: Understanding the data
• Stage 3: Developing the model  
• Stage 4: Validating the model 
• Stage 5: Extending the sensor system

We are currently on Stage 3. The completion of all five stages is dependent on securing sufficient funding.

Project lead: University of Bedfordshire

Project partners: Environment Agency, London Luton Airport, and Luton Hoo

Project start: August 2014

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